Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
“My night was great.” She beams, a glint in her eyes. I don’t think it has to do with some random date. I know my sister.
I will keep my mouth shut for now. Dad doesn’t need more shit piled on his plate even if he has some of it coming. Mom loved him so much. It's hard for me to accept how he messed up my path, but still I feel loyal enough to take care of him and my little sister.
She never asked that of me. But I know she never would even if she wanted to. The rest of breakfast is filled with the same small talk until my father leaves.
I barely make it to my bedroom and my sister is on me. “What’s going on?” she pushes. My sister is never aggressive. I almost laugh out loud because usually I’m the one questioning her. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, I don’t like it.
“What are you talking about?” I may be acting dumb, but I know exactly what she’s referring to.
“I know what we get from the program and what Dad gets. But somehow our main car, this house, and every other bill I could find is paid.”
“Since when do you go over our bills?” I push back.
“I love you, Mel, but you’re not the numbers person of this family.” She’s not wrong.
“But I am the one that manages the money so things are paid,” I point out. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist for that. “Why are you asking me about this?” It’s not as if our lights are off. The opposite actually.
“I went to try to help out and pay some of the bills.” In a flip, my heart starts to hammer. I’m so used to the worst. That’s what it always is.
“And where did you get this money to try and pay them?”
“I could ask you the same because I've seen things are paid months in advance.”
“I’m working.” I give her an easy answer. “What about you? Please tell me you’re not on Fans Only.” She snorts a laugh.
“It’s Only Fans,” she corrects me.
“Seriously?”
“That is a safe place for women to make money.” I take a deep breath. I one hundred percent agree with her but not when someone is trying to keep a low profile!
“I’m not on there, but if you’re not going to tell me what you’re up to, why should I tell you?” my sister counters. I can’t call her on it. She’s not wrong.
I hate this. For a moment after Mom died, we all clung together. Then we began to drift apart. Now neither of us wants to give up our secrets when really, we should be confiding in each other.
We’re at a crossroads, and I don’t know how to fix it. I can’t even manage to fix myself.
“Mel.” She grabs my hand. “You know better than to think you can fix everything. We just have to live.” How have the tables turned so quickly? “We don’t forget, but we do have to move on.” Now my little sister is giving me advice. Honestly, it makes me sad that she’s had to grow up so quickly.
I’ve always been so much like my mother. But when I see the sorrow in my father‘s eyes from missing her, I wonder if I’m more like him than I know.
“I’m trying,” I lie, wanting her to not worry because the truth is I’ll never move on.
I’ve tried. Last night, I don’t know what came over me. It might have been how well my books are selling, but I bought a random cell phone from a store and googled him. It was something I’ve never done before. I’ve always been too scared. Not wanting to possibly see him living a happy life with someone other than me.
I should have stuck with my instincts. How many times can a girl's heart break?
I suppose Easton was right. I’m his Neverland. As in we’ll never be. He’ll find a land of his own family's liking.
6
EASTON
I know what my assistant Tray is going to say before I answer his call, but still I take it. He might work for me, but he drives me insane. His only saving grace is he gets things done. I often wonder if I work for him.
“I knew this was a terrible idea!” he shouts through my Bluetooth. I only made it back to the city seconds ago by private plane. I’m still in the process of stepping off said plane. The country dust still coats my Bolvaint shoes. “I feel sorry for any Charlotte Williams that lives in the city. Hell in the world, for that matter!”
“How many are there?” I only googled the top three common female names and last names and separated each within the top five.